Potato-digger.



Ptented luly II, I899.

P. BROWN.

POTATO BIGGER.

(Application filed Nov. 3, 1898.,

N0 Model.)

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, following to be a full, clear, and exact descri p- UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

PETER BROWN, OF GREELEY, COLORADO.

POTATO DIGGER;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,444, dated July 11,1899.

Application filed November 3, 1898.

T0 (ZZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greeley,i n the county of Weld and State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Diggers; and I dodeclare the Lion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings,and to the figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to potato-diggers, and has more particularly forits object to provide certain improvements in the endless carrier orseparator illustrated in United States Letters Patent No.575,691,granted to me January 26, 1897, for a potato-digger. In thatpatent I described and claimed certain improvements in the endlessseparator or carrier.

My present invention relates more particularly to certain improvementsupon that end less carrier or separator, said improvements having fortheir object to materially prolong the life of the carrier or separator.

The invention accordingly consists in certain features of constructionin the carrier or separator, which features will be hereinafter moreparticularly described and then sought to be specifically defined by theclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a parthereof, and in which- Figure 1 represents a plan view of a potatodigger,which may be of any approved pattern, but which for purposes ofillustration I have shown as formed substantially as illustrated in mysaid patent, before mentioned, with my present improvements added; andFig. 2 represents a perspective view of a part of the endless carrier orseparator containing my improvement; Fig. 3, a plan view of part of theendless carrier.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the frame of the machine,which is carried. by the main drive-wheels-2 and is provided at itsforward end with the crank-axle 3 and gage-wheels 4. The frame isprovided at the rear with the shaft 5, which has the sprocketwheels 6for transmitting motion to the endless carrier or separator, said shaftand sprocket-wheels deriving their motion from Serial No. 695,3 93. (Nomodel.)

the main drive-wheels, as in my former pat= ent referred to. At theforward end of the frame is a shaft 7, provided with sprocketpulleys 8,which serve toguide the endless carrier, a similar shaft 9 beingprovided between the two ends of the frame and having sprocket-pulleys10, which likewise serve to support and guide the carrier in itsmovement. A shaft 11 may also be employed, and it may be provided witheccentrically-mounted sprocket-wheels 12, which will serve to impart anup-and-down motion to the endless carrier, as in my former patentmentioned. The details of the machine need not be further described, asthe same may be substantially as illustrated and described in myaforementioned patent.

My endless carrier or separator in the present instance is formed of anumber of crossrods 13, of metal, which are provided with portions 14:,extending at an angle to the cross-rods at both ends and formed intohooks, as illustrated, so that the hooks of one rod will engage with thenext succeeding rod, and thus form an endless-chain carrier orseparator. I have found by experience that 0011- siderable wear takesplace upon the cross- -rods and also upon the hooks of the same wherethey engage with each other and that the greatest Wear occurs atthe bendwhere the hook portions extend from the cross-rods, the same beingoccasioned by the sides of the hooks rubbing against the sides of theextended portions forming the hooks. Considerable wear also takes placeat the point where the hooks engage the cross-bars and also at thepoints where' the sprocket Wheels or pulleys engage the cross-bars. Atthese various points of contact, especially when the dirt or soil fromthe potatoes will lodge in such points of contact, considerable frictionis created, which causes the metal at those points to wear out in acomparatively short time. It is therefore desirable that provisionshould be made to overcome that disadvantage and that at such points ofcontact there should be as few sharp edges or surfaces presented aspossible. For the purpose of overcoming the disadvantages mentioned I'not only fold the metal upon itself at the hook portions, asillustrated in my former patent, but I carry the folded portion paralleland preferably in contact with the extended'portions 15 of thecross-bars, so as to form not only a double thickness of the metal atthis point where the bend is formed in making the hook and Where thereis considerable friction and Wear, but also so as to have an extrathickness of the metal along the crossbar itself inwardly from the endswhere the hooks are formed, as shown by the inwardlyextended portion 16of the folded portion.

This not only gets rid of the-abrupt end of the hook at the junctionbetween the hook andthe cross-bar, where considerable wear occurs, butalso enables me to extend the folded por= tion, so as to afford anincreased thickness of metal along the cross-bars at the points wherethe sprocket wheels and pulleys engage with the cross-bars. Thisimprovement not only prolongs the life of the carrier or separator-,brrtalso causes the same to travel easier and more smoothly, so that lessfriction occurs in the movement of the same. I have found from use ofthe invention that material advantages are gained by these features ofconstruction over other forms of carriers and that certain advantagesare obtained over the construction of carrier described and claimed inmy aforementioned patent. The carrier thus formed is comparatively cheapof manufacture and runs easily and will last a very much longer timethan other constructions with which I am familiar. This constructionalso enables the section of links of the carrier or separator to have abroader bearing one with the other, so that there is less tendency ofthe links or cross-bars to move lengthwise or to twist or shiftobliquely to their length, and consequently the carrier will move moresmoothly and yet will be vibrated or shaken by the eccentric-pulleys orother means provided for that purpose.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claimis- 1. In a potato-digger, the combination with the frame and suitablesupports for an endless carrier, of the endless carrier. or separatorformed of a series of transverse rods, each rod having its ends bentlaterally away from the rod and then forwardly toward the rod to formhooks and then folded so as to follow the lines of the hooks, the foldedportion lying alongside the laterally and forwardly bent portions andextended along the bend formed at the juncture of the transverse rod andhook portions so as to form a hook of double thickness and strengthenthe bend between the transverse rod and hook portions, substantially asand for the purposes described.

2. In a potato-digger, the combination with the frame and the shaftsprovided with sprocket wheels or pulleys, of the endless carrier orseparator formed of a series of transverse rods, each rod havingits endsbent laterally away from the rod and then forwardly to ward the rod toform hooks and then folded soas to follow the lines of thehooks, thefolded portion lying alongside the laterally and forwardly bent portionsand extended along the bend formed at the juncture of the transverse rodand hook portions and thence along the transverse rod so as to form adouble thickness where the hooks and rod portions come in contact witheach other and where the sprocket wheels or pulleys come in contact withthe rods, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a potato-digger, the combination with the frame and suitablesupports for an endless carrier, of the endless carrier or separatorformed of a series of transverse rods formed with hooks at theiropposite ends, each of said hooks being composed of parallel portionslying side by side, one of the portions being extended alongthe side ofthe other to follow the line of the bend where the hook joins thetransverse rod, substantially as an for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER BROWN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT Ieo, F. 11. BADGER.

